For My Fellow (Lonely) Business Owners | Pittsburgh Photographer

04.29.19

Pittsburgh Photographer

For My Fellow (Lonely) Business Owners

Owning a business is an incredible feeling. It’s most definitely NOT easy to build and grow a business and so it gives a huge sense of accomplishment when it does come full circle and you are working, thriving, and profiting. It does come with a cost though – isolation.

Typically speaking, we are working from home. Some of us might be working around our kids’ and families’ schedules before sitting down at our desks or office set up before starting the day. In that time-frame working, there are days where we don’t talk to ANYONE. Literally, the only voices are those of music playing or a podcast playing while we work. Day in and day out, this goes on and it can get SO lonely and SO isolating. If you are anything like me, you might even get uninspired.

I have some tips for you to pull you out of that lonely rut!

Change Up Your Workspace

Get out of the house. Pack up your laptop and head to your favorite cafe or coffee shop. Make sure you are working on something that will allow for some distraction and noise (this will happen while out in the world working), but working with the background noise will be a nice change. I enjoy doing this from time to time. I will even leave the laptop at home and just grab a journal and write. I’m totally old school and love pen and paper. I’ll brain dump some great blog topics, social media content, or even some new dreams and goals. Changing up your location can break the monotony of working at the same place at home and give you some new inspiration.

Join a Networking Group

This was something that was SO nerve-wracking for me! Joining groups without bringing along someone that I knew gave me some serious anxiety, but after years of owning my own business, I knew that working with and networking with other business owners was something that I needed to do in order to grow. It forces me to block off time on my schedule, it gets me away from my desk, and it always leaves me with new inspiration. I encourage you to find a group. If you are a Mom, find a local Mom owned business group. If you are a big goal setter and dreamer, find a mastermind group. If you can’t find a group that works for you, then create one yourself (I did JUST that and it’s been incredible).

Work With a Friend

Schedule a time with another business owner to work on something together. If you have different types of businesses, work along side of one another, work on your tasks that you have planned, and use each other to bounce ideas off of. Talk about what you are working on. Talk about a possible roadblock you might have. Talking things through with someone else is a great way to gain new insights, new inspiration, and new perspective.

Schedule Time For YOU

I saved the best for last. This is MOST important. Scheduling time for yourself might seem selfish. Most people would say that ‘I don’t have time for that.’ But you do. You MUST make time for you. Owning a business allows for flexibility. Use that for some self-care. I’ve found over the last year that scheduling time away from my office, my desk, and my to-do lists to just simply focus on ME has allowed me to grow so much more in my personal and business life. Self-care is necessary.

Owning a business, again, is so rewarding. I love every minute of it. Most of us will say the same. But, I encourage you to change up your routine. Don’t get stuck in the monotony of yoga pants, coffee, and your home desk. Get showered, get on your hair and makeup, and get out there!